New Caledonia IDs (1 Viewer)

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beechwood

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #1

I am looking for help to identify these birds seen last month near Noumea.

1) I have no idea
2) Looks like an Oriental Cuckoo but this shouldn't be in Noumea - or is it a Long Tailed Koel, but the chest look barred.
3) Looks like a Dark-Brown Honeyeater but seems too green.
4) Could it be a Rufous Whistler, but tail seems too long and it has a white cheek and brow - or is it a Grey Fantail, but looks too rufous.

Any ideas gratefully accepted. Thanks

 

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stonechat1

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #2

#4 is a Grey Fantail

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Apr 22, 2013

• #3

1 Fan-tailed Gerygone
2 Indeed does look like Oriental Cuckoo!
3 Agreed (aka Silver-eared)
4 agree

 

G

Gavin Goodyear

Well-known member

• Apr 23, 2013

• #4

Photo 2 may be a juvenile Fan-tailed Cuckoo but unsure especially as in the photo the bill seems as though it could be a bit heavier.

Cheers
Gavin

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Apr 24, 2013

• #5

imm FT Cuckoo would show a dark bill, darker unders and plainer wings. And according to the guide, it isn't supposed to be on New Cal either! Still looks spot-on for Oriental. Might be worth sending a copy to Guy Dutson (the author of the latest guide) as I guess the ob should be of interest

 

B

Butler

Well-known member

• Apr 25, 2013

• #6

Shouldn't Oriental have bright yellow-orange feet? Any chance it could be a barred morph Brush Cuckoo? Just a thought, it doesn't seem to be on the New Caledonia list either.

 

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Gavin Goodyear

Well-known member

• Apr 25, 2013

• #7

Hi Adam,

Fan-tailed Cuckoo does occur in New Caledonia and juvenile FTC doesn't have an all dark bill.

Not saying that this bird is a FTC and like I said bill looks a bit heavy in the photo but I thought mentioning as a possibility.

Cheers
Gavin

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Apr 25, 2013

• #8

Gavin Goodyear said:

Hi Adam,

Fan-tailed Cuckoo does occur in New Caledonia and juvenile FTC doesn't have an all dark bill.

Not saying that this bird is a FTC and like I said bill looks a bit heavy in the photo but I thought mentioning as a possibility.

Cheers
Gavin

Click to expand...

Interesting....just going by the latest fieldguide illustrations and the couple of Oz fieldguides I have which show an all-dark bill. (Thankfully I didn't paint the cuckoos so I know no more than what's painted on the page ) But trawling through a few images on the web it does show a small base of yellow, but nothing like the OP's bird.
Re the occurence on NC, yeah you're right it is there - I was looking at the blocks of the above species - doh!!

 

Tom Tarrant

Bird and Wildlife Tour Guide

Opus Editor

• Apr 26, 2013

• #9

Have attached a couple of old images of a young Australian Fan-tailed and Brush Cuckoo, IMHO FTCU doesn't seem to have as much black and white barring(?) in the plumage.
Oriental/Himalayan has been recorded in the Solomons and New Zealand so don't see why it shouldn't turn up in New Caledonia. I'm surprised that there are no records of Brush in the region though.
Tom

 

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Gavin Goodyear

Well-known member

• Apr 26, 2013

• #10

Hi Adam,

No worries. I just had another look at the photo and Oriental would be the much better fit especially with that bold barring on the underparts and more richly patterned upperparts as mentioned by Tom. The pale part of the bill is quite extensive although the FTC can have up to 65% of the lower mandible pale according to some of the literature.

The main reason I commented was to throw another possibility into the picture. I thought I would make the second comment in case the OP was unaware that Fan-tailed Cuckoo was present on NC and that juv FTC do have a pale base of varying size to the bill.

Cheers
Gavin

PS I'm notoriously hopeless at id'ing birds from photos for some reason.

 

B

beechwood

Well-known member

• May 4, 2013

• #11

Thanks for all of the comments. I am glad it wasn't straightforward - i don't feel so silly now not being able to identify the cuckoo. Does anyone have conatct for Guy Dutton and I will send the photo as suggested.

Thanks, Phil

 

Tom Tarrant

Bird and Wildlife Tour Guide

Opus Editor

• May 4, 2013

• #12

beechwood said:

Thanks for all of the comments. I am glad it wasn't straightforward - i don't feel so silly now not being able to identify the cuckoo. Does anyone have conatct for Guy Dutton and I will send the photo as suggested.

Thanks, Phil

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I think you mean Guy Dutson, try this guydutsonathotmaildotcom

Tom